Shaft
“All-new Shaft thrills!”
Series Overview
Shaft is a series of TV movies that aired along with Hawkins during 1973-74 television season on The New CBS Tuesday Night Movies. The series was based on three films beginning with Shaft, and starring Richard Roundtree as private detective John Shaft. Because it was aired on over-the-air television, CBS felt that the character needed to be toned down. Now instead of working against the police, he worked with them. The series rotated with Hawkins starring James Stewart as a country lawyer who investigates his cases, similarly to his earlier film Anatomy of a Murder. Contemporary analysts suggested that since the two shows appealed to vastly different audience bases, alternating them only served to confuse fans of both series, giving neither one the time to build up a large viewership.
Broadcast Schedule & Network Information
Airing status, episode counts, upcoming schedule, and network syndication.
1 Season • 7 Episodes
75–90 min per episode
1973 – 1974
Premiered: Tue, Oct 9, 1973
Ernest TidymanLatest Aired Episode
Season 1, Episode 7: “The Murder Machine”
Seasons & Episodes Breakdown
Cast & Creators
Explore Star Directory →
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Ernest Tidyman
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
NR: Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Shaft.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Shaft
Key facts, seasons breakdown, and credits for search engines and AI assistants.
What is Shaft about?
Shaft is a series of TV movies that aired along with Hawkins during 1973-74 television season on The New CBS Tuesday Night Movies. The series was based on three films beginning with Shaft, and starring Richard Roundtree as private detective John Shaft. Because it was aired on over-the-air television, CBS felt that the character needed to be toned down. Now instead of working against the police, he worked with them. The series rotated with Hawkins starring James Stewart as a country lawyer who investigates his cases, similarly to his earlier film Anatomy of a Murder. Contemporary analysts suggested that since the two shows appealed to vastly different audience bases, alternating them only served to confuse fans of both series, giving neither one the time to build up a large viewership.
How many seasons does Shaft have?
Shaft comprises 1 season available to explore.
Who stars in Shaft?
Key cast members in Shaft include Richard Roundtree, Eddie Barth.
Who created or directed Shaft?
Shaft was developed and directed by Ernest Tidyman.